


Seismic

by agentsofthemcu (TheFallenArchangel)



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2018-04-26 15:14:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5009623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFallenArchangel/pseuds/agentsofthemcu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seismic<br/>adjective<br/>1. relating to or caused by earthquakes<br/>2. having highly significant consequences</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seismic

Even though she’s the one who initiates it, somehow it still takes her by surprise when his lips meet hers. It’s not supposed to be anything dramatic or earth stopping, and it’s not, really. The world doesn’t stop turning and butterflies don’t well up in her stomach. Even as she moves her hand to rest on his neck while his own finds her waist and pulls her against him, almost mechanically, almost robotically, she’s hyperaware of the fact that Mack’s in her ear.

That’s not to say she doesn’t put as much of herself as she physically can into the kiss. Without words she tries to convey it all: reassurance, concern, gratitude. It’s not love. It’s a plea, a question. It’s trust. It’s almost.

 It must work because he pulls back, and agrees. He’ll come with her, because even though he doesn’t trust SHIELD, he trusts _her,_ and that’s enough for him.

And then it all goes to absolute hell. The ATCU storms in with new orders, from _Coulson_ no less, and then Lincoln’s gone and the guns are on her and she can’t help the rush of emotion when Mack draws his own weapon against the half dozen agents in her defense, professing a faith in her abilities.

They’re left alone with little preamble, and she can’t help the nausea that twists her stomach. She just keeps seeing Lincoln’s eyes, how utterly betrayed he’d looked. Somewhere along the line, she realizes she’s staring at her hand, the one that’d rested against his skin, and it takes her a second to realize why. She’s looking for blood.

Except _she’s_ the one with blood on her hands. _She’s_ the monster now.

Resentment boils in her veins like acid, and it’s only through well practiced control that she doesn’t make the ground rumble, because Coulson’s made _her_ the liar this time. Submissive to his orders, now she’s the manipulator. He’s pushed her one step closer to being her mother.

_These are good people, Coulson._

_Are they? People, I mean._

The memory comes out of nowhere, and it feels like a punch in the gut. She should’ve seen this coming. To Coulson, she’s the exception, not the rule. Lincoln’s expendable to him, no matter how innocent he may be, a means to an end, because to him he’s not a person, none of them are. How had she not realized it before?

Revulsion at herself, at Coulson, and the ATCU crashes over her.

Mack’s hand on her shoulder makes her startle, but she doesn’t pull away, letting the warmth from his large hand seep into her bones. Slowly she relaxes, because though before he was her partner she wouldn’t have trusted him, she does now, almost irrevocably. They’ve put themselves on the line for each other far too many times by now for her not to. In just the past few weeks alone, he’s put himself up against inhumans  for her, he’s rushed to her side when she’s been hurt, and he’s stepped without hesitation between her and armed agents.

“I’m sorry Tremors.” He says, low voice rumbling beside her, and she looks up at him. She believes that he is, she’d seen him when he’d walked in with the ACTU agents. He’d looked miserable and almost defeated. Now, she can hear the regret in his voice, can see it in his eyes.

“It’s not your fault. You were following orders. I don’t blame you.” The edge of her voice makes it clear exactly who she does blame, and Mack doesn’t oppose her opinion. Her eyes lower for a second to glance at the black streaks on the carpet from the electricity. The moment falls heavy between them, his hand still resting at her collarbone, offering the steadfast comfort that just exudes _Mack._

“We’d better get back to base.” She finally says, her voice sounding almost too loud in the profound quiet. His hand falls from her shoulder and she nearly mourns the loss, though she knows she doesn’t have to. She doesn’t doubt that if she needs him Mack will be there, and that moment of faith in him almost scares her.

Never did she think that one day, Mack would be the only person who she was sure would be in her corner. And never did she think that Coulson could ever be in the opposite one. She doesn’t know if she can forgive him for what he’s done today, if she’ll ever be able to take an order from him again without wondering if she’ll be condemning an innocent soul by doing so, but she hears her partner’s heavy footsteps behind her as they make to return to the base…

And she takes comfort in the fact that at least she’s not alone.


End file.
